I'll suggest that to him sometime. After all I've already been nicking his wood, don't see why I shouldn't borrow the oven as well...

It 'd be interesting to see if I could get it going, not to mention what it would be like to cook in another oven.
You're right, it is Lord of the Ringsesque. His house IS a bit crazy - not the house itself, since he didn't build it, but all the things he has standing and growing round it. Chaotic is a word that springs to mind. Which is great! The neighbours on the other side are hyper organised, and if they were all we had to compare our garden with, I'd probably feel pretty bad about our patch...